A long road to recovery for biker David after horror crash
MAN BADLY INJURED IN SMASH URGES DRIVERS TO BE BIKE AWARE
CATAPULTED like rag dolls, this is the terrifying moment that captures David Lodge and his wife being flung in the air from their motorbike after a careless driver careered into them.
David’s bones throughout his entire body were shattered in the horrific crash that happened on the A696 near Knowesgate, Northumberland, while his wife Tracey also received treatment.
His catastrophic life-threatening injuries included a serious head injury, chest injuries, multiple fractures including to his spine, face, ribs, right hip and ankle and meant he had to be kept in an induced coma in the intensive care unit in Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary for 17 days before being transferred to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough.
While David lay fighting for life, Tracey, who was riding pillion at the time and was thrown nearly 30m (100ft) through the air, received treatment in the same hospital for a fractured wrist, leg and foot.
And now David is calling for drivers to be more aware of motorbikes on the road after lawyers secured a six-figure settlement that will support his long recovery and rehabilitation.
Dad-of-two David, who before the accident was a taxi driver, said: “The whole experience has been a nightmare. Both Tracey and I have been biking for years and it’s a major part of our lives but it’s like someone has pressed the stop button and we are waiting for it to go again as we still try and come to terms with what happened.”
Avid biker David, 53, from County Durham, was riding his Honda CBR110 Blackbird on the morning of August 18 2013, with wife Tracey, 53, when a Brazilian driver on holiday in the UK at the time veered into their path. They were making their way back from Aberdeen after a weekend visiting their daughter, Angela, when the accident happened.
David’s life hung in the balance as he was airlifted by the Great North Air Ambulance to the RVI. But as medics bolted him back together, he could remember nothing of the accident.
Since then David has undergone numerous operations and continues to suffer from a number of ongoing problems. But his cash pay-out will help in his rehabilitation.
According to road safety campaigner group THINK!, motorcyclists account
for just 1% of total road traffic, yet 19% of all road user deaths. David is keen to make sure his case raises awareness of the need to concentrate and focus when driving, or riding.
David, who is unlikely to be able to work full-time again, added: “I hope my accident and experience will highlight the need for concentration on the road.
“Too many road-users just don’t check their mirrors and all drivers need to take more care to watch out for motorbikes, and cyclists as well.
“As a former taxi driver and biker in my spare time I consider myself to be an experienced driver and I know all too well how vulnerable bikers are on the roads. If more attention had been paid by the Brazilian driver, my accident and the problems that I have suffered from since could have been completely avoided.
“I am grateful to the Great North Air Ambulance, Northumbria Police and the medical professionals involved in my care and rehabilitation following the accident. I’m also grateful to my legal team at Irwin Mitchell for their support since the accident and for securing me this settlement that will enable me to focus on my recovery. I know I still have a long way to go, but I hope this settlement can help me finally put the accident behind me.”
Prior to securing the final settlement, his solicitors secured David interim payments that help fund a comprehensive rehabilitation package consisting of a case manager, support worker, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, and a neuropsychologist.
Jane Pyrah, the specialist serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the couple, said: “David and Tracey both love motorbikes and used to spend a lot of time on the road travelling around the UK and abroad. Sadly this incident has robbed them of that and David in particular has endured a tough battle to recover from his injuries, and he still has a long way to go until he is fully recovered.
“We are delighted to have secured this settlement for David, to enable access to specialist support, from the insurance company responsible.
“Research shows that specialist rehabilitation treatment is most effective for victims of serious injuries when it is carried out as early as possible and it is crucial that David continues to receive the support he needs in the future. “
Just days after the accident, Brazilian tourist Rodrigo Arozo Benicio Dos Santos, was fast-tracked through the courts. He was convicted of driving without due care and attention at Newcastle Crown Court on September 4, 2013, where he was given six penalty points and told to pay £1,400 in fines and costs.
The court was told he had been holidaying in the UK and was travelling to Scotland during a tour of the country. He was then deported.